J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter & The Cursed Child” Play Gets A Synopsis

From the books to the big screen, and now, on stage – the Boy Who Lived lives on. Back in June, J.K. Rowling announced that a Harry Potter play written by herself, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany was all set to open at London’s Palace Theatre during the Summer of 2016. To the disappointment of avid fans, the only other information revealed at that point was that it was based on “an untold part of Harry’s story” and wasn’t a prequel. Earlier today, on her Pottermore website, Rowling finally revealed the play’s synopsis along with other fresh information that will have fans rushing to book a ticket.

Directed by Olivier and Tony award-winner John Tiffany, the new play is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and is set 19 years after the events of the seventh and final book. The story revolves around Harry and his youngest son Albus Severus Potter, will be told in two parts and enacted by more than 30 actors. Members of the cast are yet to be announced.

Here’s the official synopsis:

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

There isn’t much to glean from that except for the completely new angle with which the play is likely to approach Potter’s tale. Why the story wasn’t published as a new book or adapted to a movie remains a mystery. Rowling told Pottermore, “I’m confident that when audiences see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child they will understand why we chose to tell this story in this way.”

Those of us who don’t live in London or won’t be able to travel all the way to the British capital can still, however, hope for the play to come to the big screen just as many Broadway plays do.

The play world premiere is scheduled for July 30, 2016 at London’s Palace Theatre while preview performances are set to begin in May of the same year. Priority booking is already live up until October 24 for those who want to get their hands on tickets before everyone else while the priority tickets themselves will go on sale a few days from now on October 28. Public tickets will be available a couple of days later on October 30.

I'm an engineer, blogger, and graphic designer who loves creating and experimenting with different forms of online content when he's not looking for a mix of inspiration and escape in PC gaming, comic books and anime. You can find me on Twitter and Google+.